Anger as ONGC tailors seismic tender for CGG

Widespread suspicion that ONGC wants to hand a 4341-sq km broadband 3D job to CGGVeritas on a plate have intensified after the tender was issued on May 24.

One source alleges the technical qualification criteria leave no doubt that ONGC has already decided it wants CGGVeritas and its proprietary BroadSource technology. Clause 1.1 a) of the pre-qualification criteria says: "Bidder should have minimum experience carrying out 5000-sq km 3D acquisition and processing and should have also carried out at least one broadband acquisition and processing project (by deploying appropriate broadband data acquisition technology capable of removing notches due to receiver and source ghost by deploying appropriate streamer configuration and broadband source), and a complimentary (sic) processing technique." An aggrieved contractor insists the reference to 'broadband source' is a thinly veiled attempt to favour CGG's BroadSource technology.

"Nobody will challenge ONGC," says a source, "because today ONGC is the only source of (upstream) business in India." Other companies to show interest in this tender are WesternGeco, PGS, Sovcomflot, Dolphin Geophysical, Polarcus and China Oilfield Services. ONGC wants the successful bidder(s) to use a minimum 6-streamer vessel and bids must be submitted by June 30.

ONGC has also made it clear the seismic survey vessel(s) should not be more than 24 years old by the bid submission date. Broadband 3D removes shadows or 'ghosts' from the source resulting in higher resolution images.

When contacted a CGG source said: "ONGC have made their system so foolproof nobody can be favoured. It is rubbish to say we are favoured. If you can get me an assignment from ONGC I'll pay you $10m. All seismic companies are in bad shape. Vessels are unavailable as (exploration) companies want to shoot seismic and build a backlog (of data). If ONGC doesn't decide fast it won't get vessels." Assuming ONGC awards contract(s) by September and allows two months for mobilisation acquisition can begin in November 2016 and be completed by May 15, 2017. ONGC wants 1186-sq km shot at the B-157 field in water depths of 35 to 60 metres; 1780-sq km over the south and south west areas of Mumbai High in water depths of 70 to 85 metres; 1005-sq km over the Ratna and R-Series fields in water depths of 40 to 70 metres; and 370-sq km over the eastern offshore GS-29 field in water depths of 50 to 950 metres. "BroadSource is just one technology," says a rival. "What about Slant and Deeptow? Why is ONGC fixated on BroadSource?"

When contacted a CGG source said: "ONGC have made their system so foolproof nobody can be favoured. It is rubbish to say we are favoured. If you can get me an assignment from ONGC I'll pay you $10m. All seismic companies are in bad shape. Vessels are unavailable as (exploration) companies want to shoot seismic and build a backlog (of data). If ONGC doesn't decide fast it won't get vessels." Assuming ONGC awards contract(s) by September and allows two months for mobilisation acquisition can begin in November 2016 and be completed by May 15, 2017. ONGC wants 1186-sq km shot at the B-157 field in water depths of 35 to 60 metres; 1780-sq km over the south and south west areas of Mumbai High in water depths of 70 to 85 metres; 1005-sq km over the Ratna and R-Series fields in water depths of 40 to 70 metres; and 370-sq km over the eastern offshore GS-29 field in water depths of 50 to 950 metres. "BroadSource is just one technology," says a rival. "What about Slant and Deeptow? Why is ONGC fixated on BroadSource?"